Four Huskers Earn Academic All-Big Ten Awards

Four members of the Nebraska rifle team captured spots on the academic All-Big Ten team announced by the conference on Wednesday, May 29.

Seniors Joyce Kim and Katelyn Woltersdorf, junior Sunny Russell and sophomore Kelsey Hansen all performed at a high level in the classroom for the Huskers during the 2012-13 campaign.

Kim, a textiles, merchandising and fashion design major from Gilbert, Ariz., earned her second straight academic All-Big Ten award and third conference honor overall.

Woltersdorf, an art major from Battle Ground, Wash., added her second consecutive appearance on the academic All-Big Ten squad. On the range, Woltersdorf was a finalist at the NCAA Championships, finishing sixth in air rifle.

Russell, a junior child, youth and family studies major from Stratford, Texas, gave the Huskers a trio of two-time academic All-Big Ten selections.

Hansen, a sophomore from Minot, N.D., rounded out the Huskers on the academic All-Big Ten team by earning the first conference academic award of her career.

To be eligible for academic All-Big Ten selection, student-athletes must be letterwinners who are in at least their second academic year at their institution and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher. Overall, the conference recognized 1,279 spring and at-large sports student-athletes with academic All-Big Ten honors.

The conference office will also present the Distinguished Scholar Award in July. Student-athletes eligible for the Distinguished Scholar Award must be letterwinners in at least their second year in residence at their institution. Qualifying student-athletes must have earned a GPA of 3.7 or higher for the current academic year, excluding summer school. The Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award was established by conference Faculty Representatives as an addition to the conference’s academic All-Big Ten program.